Whisky Week: Not your Daddy's Whisky Bar

Chicago. February. Delilah's.

The Cashed Johnnies are on the small stage belting out a speed-freak, rock-a-billy version of Johnny Cash's "Cocaine Blues". Mike Miller, the owner, has just put a glass of Scotch in front of me - one that I can't identify.

It's a Wednesday night, but the place is packed with an interesting selection of hipsters, rockers, mods, punks, Bettie Page look-a-likes, and members of various other counter-culture sub-groups. Most of them are here to celebrate Johnny Cash's birthday, listen to the band, and take advantage of the $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon special.

I'm here to celebrate Johnny Cash's birthday, listen to the band, talk to Mike and bask in the glow of an incredible Scotch selection.

"What was that Scotch, Mike?" I ask.
"Sheep Dip" is the reply, as Mike smiles, turns, and walks over to fill the order of a girl with dyed dreads and her pierced male friend.

Mike returns and gleefully starts pulling bottles off the shelves and placing them in front of me for comment. I uncork a bottle of Ardbeg Very Young and take a big whiff. I get some strange looks as other patrons lean over me to place empty bottles of PBR on the bar and signal the bartender for yet another round.

Mike and I start to shout over the music of the band about the upcoming Whisky show season, and I discover that he'll also be at Whisky Live London - Delilah's has been nominated as one of the Great Whisky Bars of the World by Whisky Magazine.

That's awesome. As you might have surmised, Delilah's is not your average whisky bar. It's not a Scottish/English pub. It's not Brandy Library-type upscale lounge. This is what I lovingly refer to as a "dive bar". And coming from me, that's not a disparaging remark - some of my favorite bars are dive bars. Most of them however specialize in cheap beer and well drinks.

Delilah's is no slouch when it comes to tossing cheap beer and shooters down the throats of  Generation X - but they also cater to the tastes of good beer lovers, rum snobs, and oh yeah, Scotch drinkers.

A girl in fish net stockings, pancake make-up and pony-tails slams into my bar stool, careens into a group of people finishing a round of mixed drinks, and stumbles off into the frigid Chicago night.

The next bottle Mike hands me is a Lagavulin Distiller's edition. Meanwhile, a particularly attractive girl sitting next to me deftly deflects the advances of two drunk English guys while simultaneously (and surprisingly) ordering a La Fin Du Monde.

The Miller Lite drinking English guys don't have a chance.

---------------------------------------------------------

My last story had all of the events that Diageo was sponsoring in conjunction with Whisky Week.

Mike Miller has his own Whisky week going on. That's right, every night that week you can put your ass on a barstool and be entertained by Chicago's funnest whisky bar:

Monday, March 27
7pm
We are hosting Whisk(e)y 101 with Diageo Master of Scotch Gregor Cattanach.
Gregor will be showing Bulliet American Bourbon, Canadian Crown Royal, Bushmill’s Irish Whisky and a range of blended, vatted and single malt Scotches -  at least one from every region of Scotland.  We will then be discussing all aspects of Whisk(e)y - perfect for the novice and expert alike, and free.

Tuesday, March 28
8pm
We will be hosting John Glaser, owner and master blender of the Compass Box range of Vatted Malts. John’s firm is quite small and he is doing something that no one else in the world is doing presently. 

11pm
Jim Beam Brands and Delilah’s host a special Whiskey and Pool Playing event with Jim Beam Great Grandson - Fred Noe and Delilah’s owner - Mike Miller taking on all opponents to win great prizes and learn a thing or two about making and living American Whiskey.

Wednesday, March 29
10pm
A special meeting with Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell - he’s been there for 51 years, where we will be tasting 10 different expressions of Wild Turkey, many extremely rare editions and learning from the most infamous man in the industry.

Thursday, March 30
10pm
Our fourth annual Whiskeyfest After Party.  An excellent opportunity to share some whiskey with the people who make and sell every brand, with Bourbon legend Julian Van Winkle guest bartending.

Friday, March 31
8pm
Our favorite Canadian Brewery, Unibroue, kicks off its latest release Chambly Noir, a wonderful black Belgian style beer - first pour in the USA.

Comments

[marc rupnow]

If you were to order scotch in a bar "neat" would you expect it to be served in a snifter or in a rocks glass? I always was under the impression that you should order a drink "up" if you wanted it in a snifter and "straight up" if you wanted it chilled and strained in a martini glass.

[Kevin Erskine]

Hmm, I've never associated "neat" with the type of glass, but instead that it should be served "straight" with no mixer or ice. I view "Straight up" as being synonymous with "neat."

Since I would send back any Scotch that was chilled and served in a Martini glass, I have no experience with that particular presentation.

As far as rocks or snifter is concerned...if I'm trying something new, I'll specify a brandy snifter - if it is not a whisky bar, and I know they don't have a proper tasting glass.

If I'm just drinking, a rocks glass does just fine...as long as they don't take the liberty of adding the rocks.